Reading the story of the Philistines returning the Ark, we can wonder if we actually can acknowledge the Lord’s action in our walk with Him or if we are rather serving Him in our own terms? Today, because the Bible tells us that we have access to God and that His Spirit dwells in us, many believers think that God talks to them and they to hear from God all the time. My brother, my sister. From Genesis to Revelation, we learn that God hates sin. He abandoned Christ on the cross, when He became sin for us. My brother, my sister, God does not act in the midst of disorder and Satan can really imitate Him well and make you think you have heard God. Know that true repentance and sanctification, you cannot hear from God , just because Him, He does not hear you to start with: ” We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will” (John 9:31). Now, let’s read today’s verse to go further on this meditation.
This verse says: “When the ark of the Lord had been in Philistine territory seven months, the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.” They answered, “If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it back to him without a gift; by all means send a guilt offering to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been lifted from you.” Now, look at this. This people want to do something pleasing to God by returning the Ark of the Lord, after recognizing their guilt in taking the Ark. But they not only call the priests (servants of God), but they also call diviners (people serving others gods). Does it not sound like what we do sometimes?
Yes, the diviners (verse 2) probably chose the gift they thought would placate God. But, there was a little problem: the offering the Philistines were asked to give consisted of images of tumors and rats (1 Samuel 6:4-5), not really the kind of guilt offering prescribed in God’s laws (Leviticus 5:14-19). Now, my friend, when you want to do something pleasing to God, do you go around the world looking for different people’s advice before you can be certain that it is the Lord who is asking you to do what you are doing?
You see, the Philistines had the priests the Lord had placed before them. But the advice of the priests were not enough for them. So, in their attempt to do good, their own way, they sought diviners’ advice too. Let me tell you that the image of the diviner is not necessarily the soothsayer or clairvoyant: you yourself can end up being your own diviner or someone close to you who has very good intentions about you. Yes, how easy it is to design your own methods of hearing from the Lord or acknowledging Him rather than serving Him in the way he requires. We need to learn to be faithful by trusting the Lord instead of going ahead doing our own stuff on His behalf. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.